Chico Police: Car thefts, break-ins down

Chico Police say the number of car thefts & break-ins has decreased from this time last year.

Posted: Nov. 8, 2017 4:31 PM

Updated: Nov. 8, 2017 4:48 PM

Posted By: Cecile Juliette

Chico Police say the number of car thefts & break-ins has decreased from this time last year. Thanks to social media, when a car theft occurs, we are more likely to hear about it. But according to statistics, there are fewer incidents this year as compared to this time last year. Chico Police Department Public Information Officer Julia Yarbough says, "We took a snapshot of a random three month period, and compared the numbers, and we're actually seeing a decrease in the number of cars broken into, and the number of car thefts." Yarbough says the data reveals that many cars are stolen as a crime of opportunity. She says people are still leaving their keys in the car, and they're leaving the windows cracked or rolled down. She advises people to "Make it tougher for the bad guys. Don't leave the windows rolled down, and definitely do not leave the keys inside the car."According to the California Highway Patrol, in the colder months, thieves from the Bay Area will drive to the Chico area, looking for cars left on and running in the driveway, as drivers try to warm them up. Chico Police have posted a list of tips for car owners to avoid being victimized. CARTHEFT PREVENTION TIPS1. NEVER leave your keys in your car, even spare keys. Whether you are parking for the night or just running into the gas station for:30 seconds, most car thefts are crimes of opportunity. Keys in your car is a stolen car2. NEVER leave your vehicle running unattended if you are warming it up in the driveway stay with it. A running car isan easily stolen car3. Purchase a lock or alarm. A lock like "the Club" which attaches to your steering wheel can be defeated, but is a visiblereminder that you have taken st eps to secure your vehicle. The blinking light of an alarm also shows that your vehicleshould not be tampered with. Hopefully a potential car thief will move on to an easier target. This is especiallyimportant of your car is one of the “easy to steal” models (90's Honda, Acura, or Toyota)4. Account for all your keys. Don't use "Hide a keys" under your vehicle. Yes, car thieves look for them. Keepyour spare keys hidden in your home. If your house is burglarized, don't let your spare keys be easily takenfor future burglaries or thefts5. Always park as securely as you can. Park in well lit areas where thevehicle can be seen by you and others 6. Security cameras are a good deterrent. Post signs letting criminals know you have security systems and areproactively watching your property7. Don't leave the title (pink slip) in the car (you would be surprised how many people do). With the title, a thief can forgeyour signature and attempt to change ownership of the vehicle (or use it as a defense if caught)8. Always keep the windows rolled up, and the vehicle locked (that includes keeping the convertible tops and sunroofsclosed and locked also). Don't give a thief easy access to your vehicle9. Keep valuables (even non-valuables) out of sight. Take them with you or lock them inyour trunk. Remove the temptation for a thief to get into your vehicle in thefirst place 10. If you have a utility trailer, boat, camp trailer or other towable trailer, lock the tongue with a lock to keep it from getting stolen by being easily towed away11. Take a minute to snap a couple of photographs of your vehicle, including any bumper stickers, accessories like roofracks or push bumpers you have added, distinctive damage such as dents or repairs, the license plate and VINnumber. Our newly-updated mobile app has a property module designed just for storing photos of your property. Ifyour vehicle is ever stolen, having that information available can assist in recovery12. Always report a stolen vehicle to law enforcement as quickly as possible. If you DO find your own vehicle (it happens),do not recover it yourself. Keep eyes on it and call law enforcement to recover it. They can process it for evidence,and you don't want to be spotted driving a reported stolen vehicleChico Police DepartmentTip Line 530.896.TIPS (8477)